Abstract

This paper reviews the current literature on the relationship of the Kyoto School philosopher Keiji Nishitani to Nietzsche’s writings. In particular, I respond to Bret Davis’ treatment of the relationship between the two thinkers in his 2011 article: ‘Nishitani After Nietzsche: From the Death of God to the Great Death of the Will.’
Through recourse to Nishitani’s treatment of Nietzsche in The Self Overcoming of Nihilism as well as his later work Religion and Nothingness, I dispute the claim that Nishitani’s eventual dissatisfaction with Nietzsche’s philosophy is based on a negative assessment of will to power. I then go on to show that it is primarily on the issue of time more than that of will that Nishitani ultimately takes issue with Nietzsche’s mature philosophical standpoint. Finally, I outline a possible response to Nishitani’s criticisms from the perspective of Nietzsche’s thought.

Item Type:

Article

Note:

Article based upon the conference paper of the same name presented by Flavel at the 19th International Conference of the Friedrich Nietzsche Society at University College, Cork, Ireland on 20 September 2013.

Keywords:

Keiji Nishitani
Self-overcoming of nihilism
Nietzsche and Asian thought
Zen Buddhism Time
Japanese philosophy
will to power